Chinook Winds

Friday, October 7, 2011

History lesson

Montana became a territory in 1864

I had some other photos I wanted to share like the outside of the church but I am challenge and can not get them to load correctly.


Visited the St. Ignatius Mission in St. Ignatius, Montana. The catholic church has had a strong influence in Montana especially on Indian reservations. The Jesuit Priest came out to minister to the Native American population shortly after Lewis and Clark made there trip in 1804 -1806

Note the cook who had no formal training did the paintings! There is a church in Missoula, Montana that he also did the painting in. The church has a wonderful feel when you are inside, I imagine on a winter day would feel bright and warm.

Tuesday, September 27, 2011

More Fall Decorations

Being Crafty

Decorating my Deck for Fall

Dog days of Fall

The weather has been warm which is wonderful. We are entering the "windy season" not so good, but it is normal.

Monday, September 12, 2011

Gardening

I have been busy harvesting. We picked our apples and probable only got a 1/3 from last year. I was excited to grow corn it is an heirloom seed. Peas and beans are finished and we are allowing them to go to seed. The raspberries produced for the first time. I always get carried away with the sunflowers. We have been have perfect weather since July after such a cold summer last year and cold June. Planted two new apple trees. Made Tomato Jam. The Chicks... raising an heritage breed on organic feed takes a long time. Cut Firewood. New Blueberry bed, I have been told I can't raise blueberry's here I hope he is wrong.

Tuesday, September 6, 2011

Getting Ready for Fall


My deck project

Little Jerusalem

Little Jerusalem is located by the Canadian boarder just north of us

Lots of contrasts here the harvested wheat fields, the white is an Alkaline lake

A little smoky from the fires in the State

Beautiful day!

Hike to Swift Current Pass/Fire Look out


Beautiful Day in A Beautiful Place, this fire lookout was built in 1936 and is manned	, very cool!

View from 8,436 feet

This is Swift Current Glacier you see this before you reach the pass

View at 8,436 from fire look out

What are Chinook Winds?

Chinook winds blow in from the Pacific in late winter and early spring. Their moisture evaporates as they pass over the Rocky Mountains. Once the winds come down from the mountains onto the high plains, the air can be quite mild and extremely dry. When a Chinook takes effect local temperatures can warm up from as low as 5 degrees below zero to 60 or 70 degrees Fahrenheit. The air is so dry that when it hits snow, it sucks up the moisture, changing the snow directly into water vapor, bypassing the liquid phase that slushy phase-- entirely. Called sublimation, this is a common way for snow to disappear quickly in arid climates.
As you may guess these changes in temperature, little snow cover, but bitter cold temps make it hard for things to make it through the winter. We hope to have a 90 day growing season and 12 inches of perspiration in a year.